It was a fantastic, wonderful trip! Cutie, at age 2 years 5 months, was endearingly excited about the trip and participated in every activity with such enthusiasm - it was infectious! Seeing Cutie have such a good time made the holiday great for all of us too! Cutie even enjoyed the plane ride! See above.
Thanks to DM and DF, who took care of Cutie, cooked his meals, generally helped to feed and play with him and babysit him when DH and I needed time... It was really a stress-free holiday this time!
This is DM playing with Cutie, and generally looking after him.
Here is DF helping Cutie to poop, at some countryside forest.
Day 1 - Launceston
We had lunch at a pub nearby. It was Sunday and most places were closed. Nothing memorable. No photos.
Dinner was at a foodcourt near a supermarket where we bought groceries to cook Cutie's porridge so again, not inspiring, no photos.
Day 2 - Cradle Mountain
It was beautiful! We were so lucky to have gorgeous weather, so we managed to walk around the place, see the beautiful scenery. Cutie enjoyed throwing stones into the lake. Isn't Cutie cute?
Lunch was at the Cradle Mountain Visitor's Centre, cafe type food like soup, sandwiches, fish and chips. No photos.
Dinner was at Highland Restaurant, a fine-dining type place at Cradle Mountain Lodge where we stayed. It costs AUD55 per person for 2 courses and AUD64 for 3 courses.
I took a 2 course meal, DH took a 3 course and we shared his dessert.
My starter of warm caramelised smoked eel, cauliflower panna cotta and salsa verde. 
I originally wanted to have a starter of spiced fallow venison, but was later told by the waiter that it was raw so I changed my order. What is fallow venison anyway?
Anyhow, this was a good choice. The smoked eel was tender and smokey sweet. The cauliflower panna cotta looks like a block of tofu, but it was fantastic. I have never tasted anything like it. It was slightly savoury, and had the consistency of wobbly, slightly yielding cream pudding or jello. Even panna cotta had never tasted this good. I really liked my starter.
DH's starter of baby squid tube filled with braised oxtail, served with pink and golden oyster mushroom cream was tasty but too heavy. It was just too much - too heavy on the sauce and too heavy on the meat. DH and I both preferred the eel starter.
My main of roasted lamb with potato mash and sauteed strawberries with french beans. It was pretty well executed, tender and not over or undercooked. Exactly the way I wanted it. It was unique to have strawberries on the dish, and I thought it was quite interesting, since it added a fruity sweet element. Cooked fruit always taste sweeter, so I thought it was quite a clever way to use end of season fruit.
DH's main of grilled ocean trout on a bed of green pea mash and braised bok choy - which looked and tasted exactly like salmon! the green pea mash was undercooked, resulting in a very raw green taste which neither DH nor I enjoyed. DH thinks that we should eat seafood in Tasmania, which I agree with as a rule, but not at Cradle Mountain right, where no fresh fish can clearly be found! So I think my main of lamb was a much better choice.
Then we shared DH's choice of dessert - platter of Tasmanian cheeses with seasonal berries, tomato coulis and crackers. Typical selection really - a brie, a cheddar and a blue. I love blue cheese, I like the strong taste and the crumbly texture. Yums. Does anyone know what those red berries are? We aren't sure if they are fresh cranberries, having never seen fresh cranberries before.
Ok more updates in my next post.
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